Alemi was also delighted at the opportunity to ride a dragon. He hadn’t had that many chances. His initial ride between had been at his sister Menolly’s request. She’d heard from her Master, Harper Robinton, of the settlement at Paradise River and thought Alemi might well consider sailing south and founding his own Hold. How well his sister had read his circumstances, had seen him chafing at his father’s conservatism. So he’d been conveyed a-dragonback for the initial meeting with the recently confirmed Holder, Jayge Lilcamp, and they had liked each other enough to take hold on it. He’d been conveyed twice since then to various Fishcraft meetings in the Tillek Masterfishmen Hall. Although Menolly had repeatedly told him that, as a Mastercraftsman, he had the right to call for a dragon to convey him whenever that was needful, he did not abuse the privilege.
He had often sailed to what was now called Monaco Bay, with tithes for the Weyr and supplies for the growing population at Landing. Excavations were still going on, and he had acquired a thing or two of use from the Catherine Caves when those were being shared out.
For this appearance at Landing, he dressed in his new formal tunic, embroidered with his Master’s emblem, and in the Paradise River Hold colors, and newly braided Master’s shoulder knots. Kitrin had a deft needle and did much of the special handwork for the entire Hold.
He had asked the dragonrider to collect him on the sea side of his holding, where Readis would not be likely to see him leave. Alemi was somewhat surprised by the youth of the bronze rider, who appeared exactly on the time set.
“I’m T’lion, Masterfishman, to collect you,” the boy said from his high perch on the bronze’s neck.
“This is Gadareth, my dragon.” His voice was vibrant with deep affection and pride. “Do you need help mounting, Master Alemi?”
“I think not,” Alemi said, keeping his features composed even as he wondered if this was the first time the lad had been sent to convey a passenger “If Gadareth will oblige me by a knee up,” he added. The bronze had not achieved his full growth yet, so mounting was not the problem it would soon become.
“Oh, yes, sorry about that, Master.” The boy’s features set as he “spoke” to his dragon.
Gadareth had his head turned toward Alemi, his eyes whirling a trifle faster than the speed Alemi thought of as normal to these huge beasts. Then he raised his left foreleg slightly.
“If you’d lean your hand down?” Alemi suggested.
“Oh, that’s right,” young T’lion said, flushing.
He leaned so far over that he had to clutch at the neck ridge to keep from tipping himself out of his perch. So Alemi sprang to the offered knee, touched the hand only enough to give him an upward surge, and swung himself in the slot between the two neck ridges aft of the rider.
“Nothing to it, really,” Alemi said, settling himself.
“No, Master, there isn’t, is there?”
When they had sat there a few moments longer, Alemi cleared his throat. “I’m all set. Whenever you’re ready?” he asked in a gentle prompt.
“Oh, yes, well, fine. We’re just going. Gadareth!” Now he spoke with more conviction and no hesitation.
As Gadareth sprang from the ground, Alemi had a moment’s doubt about the boy’s expertise and devoutly hoped they wouldn’t end up somewhere unknown, far from familiar coordinates. He had heard tales …
Abruptly they were in the cold of between, and Alemi caught his breath … one … two … three … fo…. They were high above water—at least that was right—and then Gadareth veered, pivoting on his right wing tip, and the magnificent crescent strand of Monaco Bay appeared in front of them. The young bronze swooped down, gliding straight for the ground in a maneuver that made Alemi hold his breath and sit as hard into the neck ridge as he could, jamming his feet down and his knees against the neck of the dragon as hard as he could.
The landing was achieved with great ease, however, and Alemi wasn’t even bumped about as the dragon backwinged and settled to the firm surface in front of the Admin Building, which housed Aivas.
Alemi knew the story of its discovery—it had been a harper’s tale at many a gather. It had been one of the last of the Ancients’ buildings to be excavated, a task undertaken by Mastersmith Jancis, Journeyman Harper Piemur, and Lord Jaxom—on a whim, it was said. And Ruth had helped. Then they had found the curiously reinforced end of the building, which had suggested that something special had been carefully protected … and discovered the Artificial Intelligence Voice-Address System left by the first settlers on Pern: an intelligence that could tell them much of the first years of human habitation on this planet, and much about Thread. Aivas, as the intelligence preferred to be called, had also promised to help destroy the menace of Thread forever.
Of course, the building had been extended, since Aivas was teaching so much of the lost knowledge of every craft Alemi wasn’t sure how this Aivas could teach so much and to so many. He was more than pleased that he would have a special interview with the intelligence,
Dismounting from the young bronze, Alemi remembered to thank them both for the conveyance.
“We’re to wait and take you back, Master Alemi,” T’lion said. Then, glancing over his shoulder to see other dragons spiraling down to land, he hastily added, “We’ll be up on the ridge where the others are waiting.” He pointed in the right direction. “Give us a wave.”
The bronze was already lifting himself out of the way of those wanting to land, and the boy’s words were carried away in the breeze. Alemi waved his hand to show that he’d heard. Then he turned to the entrance of the Admin Building. Just inside the door was a desk at which sat no lesser a personage than Robinton, the Masterharper of Pern. Alemi gawked a bit, but Robinton smiled a warm welcome, rising from his table to hold out his hand to the young Masterfishman.
“Ah, Master Alemi, how good to see you. And on such an errand. You and young Readis were so fortunate to be rescued in that extraordinary fashion.”
“You know about it?” Alemi was amazed. But then, the Masterharper, even if he was now retired from active duty, had a way of “knowing” a great deal that went on all around Pern.
“Of course I do,” Robinton said emphatically. “Lord Jaxom himself told me. But why isn’t young Readis with you?”
“Oh, yes, well, his mother decided that she doesn’t want him involved just yet. He’s only a few months over seven Turns. She feels that’s just too young …” Alemi heard his own disagreement with that decision in his tone and wished he was better able at dissembling.
“I see. Well, Aramina might have reservations about associating with just a mere dolphin.” The Harper smiled sympathetically about maternal misgivings. “In any event, you’re here. Aivas has much to tell you, too, about the shipfish. He was delighted to know that they have prospered so and have remembered how to speak. If you’ll just come this way—” The Harper gestured to the left-hand corridor. “Have you been here before, Alemi? Yes, well, then you’ll see how much we’ve expanded,” he continued as they made their way past rooms occupied by small groups intent on screens to a smaller room at the end. “Here.” He stepped aside to let Alemi enter.